The Boston Celtics had waited — and rested — for moments like this, entering the fourth quarter of their first-round series against the New York Knicks with a 70-67 lead and a shot at stealing Game 1 at Madison square Garden.

To that point, Boston had failed to find any offensive rhythm but made sure to stifle New York on the other end. The Celtics had shot 44.4 percent from the field and held the Knicks to 41.4 percent shooting. Carmelo Anthony had used 24 shots to score 28 points, producing the kind of ball-stopper performance that is universally considered the least desirable approach.

That all changed when the Celtics coughed up eight fourth-quarter turnovers, each more untimely than the one before it. The Knicks, the NBA's lowest-turnover team, didn't turn the ball over in the fourth and reaped the benefits of Boston's carelessness with scores and easy looks for their once-struggling offense.

All told, the Celtics turned the ball over 21 times for 20 Knicks points. The Knicks turned the ball over only 13 times.

Anthony was 4-of-5 in the final period and, in the span of 12 minutes, the Celtics' 70-67 lead became a 85-78 loss. They had only eight points in the fourth and finished Saturday's second half with an all-time Celtics low of 25 points.

"We had bad turnovers tonight," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "If we have those turnovers in any game, you probably should lose the game and we did. But we were making post passes from the other side of the floor. I mean, those are just not good passes."

What went so wrong that the Celtics, a team with one of the NBA's top assist ratios, and yet couldn't hold onto the ball? We'll go through each possession.

10:06 — Jeff Green kicked off the Celtics' run of turnovers, on a steal by Kenyon Martin. The bleeding hadn't started yet, as this turnover did not lead directly to points for the Knicks. Celtics, 70-69.

5:30 — Green started a right-hand drive and Jason Kidd stepped over to help. Not expecting Kidd to clog what was a clear lane, Green traveled and gave the Celtics another turnover. Knicks, 78-74.

4:48 — Set up on the right side of the court, Green faced one on one, but Kidd edged over the help. As he saw Kidd, Green went to make the next pass — to Kidd's man — and placed it just close enough for Kidd to get a hand on it. Knicks, 78-74.

4:01 — Avery Bradley attempted to make a pass to Paul Pierce, but J.R. Smith was there to take the steal and start the break. Raymond Felton missed a 3 on the offensive end.

2:35 — Pierce set up in the high post against Felton as Anthony stood nearby. Pierce, clearly aware of Anthony, saw his pass deflected by Felton and Anthony came away with it. He took it all the way to the other end for a right-hand layup. Knicks, 79-76.

2:20 — Green had 20 points in the first half, but settled into a passive lull in the second half. Sensing this, he attempted to force the issue on a drive toward the basket. Kidd stepped over to help, stripped Green of the ball and the Knicks were off. Knicks, 81-76.

0:31 — The Celtics, desperate to score and struggling from outside, forced a lob to the post from the 3-point line. Kidd, lined up in a mismatch behind Kevin Garnett, kept his hands active and knocked the ball away. Smith collected the ball. Knicks, 85-78.

0:13 — With the game all but lost, Pierce lost ball in the backcourt andSmith was there to corral the Celtics' eighth and final turnover of the fourth quarter. Knicks, 85-78.